Published on 08/27/2019 On April 5, 2002, Layne Staley, lead singer of the grunge band Alice in Chains, died in Seattle, USA at the age of 34. Layne Staley, 34, Alice in Chains' Singer, Dies. But in a 1996 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Mr. Staley was covered with needle marks, and spoke obliquely about drug use. The original lead singer of Alice in Chains, Layne Staley, was known for his distinct vocal style and tenor voice. The group quickly turned from playing glam-metal to an early variety of grunge, and in 1989, it was signed to Columbia Records, which released the EP ''We Die Young'' and the band's first album, ''Facelift,'' in 1990. Though Alice in Chains ultimately returned with guitarist-vocalist Jerry Cantrell and new member William DuVall sharing vocal duties, Staley remains a beloved figure in the annals of music, to the point that Seattle held an official "Layne Staley Day" in August 22, 2019 (per Janice Headley of KEXP). Kurt Cobain short-circuited death by heroin with a shotgun blast to the head in 1994. “To be honest, I’d just be happy being the lead guitarist and singer for Alice in Chains. I'm going to die like this — this is it.'". Police responded to a call to check on Staley's well-being that was placed by a family member who claimed to have not spoken to Staley for two weeks. Club tells us, the year 1996 seems to have marked the start of his slow, sad downfall. But why did the music legend die at such a young age? Layne Staley, the Alice in Chains lead singer who rose to rock stardom a decade ago with a series of songs about battling personal demons, is dead at 34. He was 34 years old. The band's principal members included guitarist Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, lead singer Layne Staley of Alice in Chains, drummer Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees and bassist John Baker Saunders.Mad Season released only one album, Above, in March 1995. They arrived at Staley's address with the family member in Seattle's University District at 5:41 p.m. PT on Friday, accordi… Mr. Staley was born in Kirkland, Wash., and started playing drums when he was 12 years old, inspired by a Black Sabbath album from his parents' record collection. Layne Staley, lead singer of Alice in Chains, died of a drug overdose on April 5, 2002. The King County Medical Examiner positively identified Staley's body on Saturday (April 20), following an autopsy. He is best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and main songwriter of rock band Alice in Chains. Layne’s body was discovered at his house two weeks later of his death. However, the band got back together in 2006 with a new singer named William DuVall. In 2002, the acclaimed frontman died at the young age of 34, shocking the world and sending the band in turmoil for years. SEATTLE — Layne Staley, lead singer and guitarist for the grunge band Alice in Chains, was found dead in his apartment, authorities said Saturday. He was 34. The late, great Layne Staley is one of the most imitated metal vocalists in history, and arguably the singer to blame for the ’90s trend which we have come to know as ‘yarling.’ Still, you know what they say: “Often imitated, never duplicated.” For all of their efforts, no rock vocalist has ever managed to sound quite like Staley… They are still active as of 2018. Few rock vocalists created such a dark and eerie body of work as Alice in Chains' Layne Staley.Born in Kirkland, WA, on August 22, 1967, Staley showed musical talent at an early age, and took up the drums. Fish said, including heroin needles and other paraphernalia. However, that's not to say that Alice in Chains hasn't suffered its share of losses along the way. SEATTLE, Washington (CNN) -- King County authorities said a body found in a Seattle residence has been identified as that of Layne Staley, 34, lead singer of the rock group Alice in Chains. Three years after Starr left, Alice In Chains dissolved as Staley faced his own drug problems. A few years later, he decided to become a singer instead, and traded his drum kit for a microphone. Fish said, ''We have determined it was either drug use or natural causes. The King County medical examiner has not determined the cause of death, but said yesterday that Mr. Staley had been dead for several days. Journalist David de Sola will release "Alice in Chains: The Untold Story" on August 4. As for Alice in Chains, the Seattle band continues to find success since the passing of lead singer Layne Staley in 2002. Beside this, how did the lead singer of Alice in Chains die? By then, Mr. Staley was struggling with heroin addiction, and on the verge of a 1994 summer tour, the band broke up for six months. Layne Thomas Staley (born Layne Rutherford Staley; August 22, 1967 – April 5, 2002) was an American musician best known as the original lead singer and co-songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains, which rose to international fame in the early 1990s as part of Seattle's grunge movement. Alice in Chains was one of the biggest names of the Seattle scene during the heyday of grunge, and with the tragic ends of both Soundgarden and Nirvana, they and Pearl Jam are the only giants of the genre still plying their trade. Mr. Staley was found dead on a couch with ''obvious signs of drug use,'' Mr. He was 34 years old. The band became famous for being part of the Grunge movement in Seattle in the early 90's. See the article in its original context from. Layne Staley, the lead singer of the pioneering grunge band Alice in Chains, was found dead on Friday at his home in Seattle. But then I've had fans come up to me and give me the thumbs up, telling me they're high. Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. (born March 18, 1966) is an American musician and singer-songwriter. It took Layne Staley, Alice in Chains' lead singer, a while longer to kill himself with a speedball. ", Staley started living in seclusion in his Seattle condo, and spent years in the company of nothing but drugs and video games, resisting all attempts to lure him back in the world. The book's entire first chapter can be read on the Macmillan web site. Layne Staley, lead singer and guitarist for the grunge band Alice In Chains, was found dead in his Seattle apartment, authorities said today (April 20). Staley, 34, an … Staley was found dead in … Alice in Chains reunited in 1995 to make an album, entitled ''Alice in Chains,'' which sold two million copies. It’s always been my first love, and always will be, but the situation being what it is…we’ve been together for a long time, and right now it’s kinda played out. He was 34. But Mr. Staley had dropped out of sight. The mother of deceased Alice in Chains lead singer Layne Staley has sued her son’s former bandmates, claiming they cut her out of royalties owed on the band’s hits. The legendary lead singer of Alice In Chains and Mad Season, Layne Staley, passed away 16 years ago on 05/04/2002. A body was found Friday at the University District home of Layne Staley, the lead singer of the seminal Seattle grunge band Alice in Chains. As the 1990's ended, Columbia released more of the band's material: a boxed set, a live album and a greatest-hits collection. Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne Staley. His physical condition slowly deteriorated to a point where he resembled a walking dead, and evidently couldn't care less whether he lived or died. I'm not going to quit doing drugs. Staley was victim of his heroin addiction and his body was found in his condo only on April 19. Layne Staley, their original singer, died in April 2002 in Seattle because of a drug overdose. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Layne Staley, lead singer of the now-defunct, Grammy-nominated band Alice in Chains, was found dead at his Seattle apartment Friday, according to news reports. Alice in Chains taped an episode of ''MTV Unplugged'' in 1996; the subsequent album sold one million copies. He was 34. Here's what we know about the tragic death of Alice in Chains' Layne Staley. Layne Staley, lead singer of the grunge band Alice in Chains is seen in this 1995 Sony Music handout photo location unknown. A second EP, ''Sap,'' was released in 1991, followed in 1992 by ''Dirt,'' which has sold four million copies. He met Mr. Cantrell at a party, and formed Alice in Chains with him in 1987. Duane Fish, a spokesman for the Seattle Police Department, said that when the police were called on Friday to check on Mr. Staley, officers forcibly entered his apartment near the University of Washington campus after there was no answer to a knock on the door. Layne Staley, the lead singer and guitarist of Alice in Chains, died of an overdose of heroin and cocaine, an autopsy has determined. Mr. Beginning with its 1990 EP, ''We Die Young,'' the group sang bleak visions of death, addiction and despair, set to grinding minor-key guitar riffs. Exact time and cause of death are pending, as laboratory results could take several weeks, a spokesperson said. Legendary Alice In Chains and Mad Season singer Layne Staley died 16 years ago today (though we’ll publishing this a few hours before the official April 5th date). In October of that year, his former girlfriend and fellow drug addict Demri Parrott died of bacterial endocarditis. 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